Now That I See You
by SnowQueenOfMyHeart
Summary: What if Cassandra had been the one to rescue Rapunzel from the tower? UPDATE: Moving forward, this story will be updated on AO3 only. Apologies to anyone who has been following here but it will be easier for me to continue this story on one platform. Thank you for your follows and reviews! I promise I will finish this story someday.
1. Beginnings

This is the story of how I met my wife.

Ugh, I can't believe I'm sharing this.

Then again, life tends to surprise you in a lot of ways. No matter how much you prepare for any scenario, life finds a way to turn all your plans upside down and make you feel like a complete fool. I've had my fair share of surprises, but none could compare to the time I saved the Lost Princess - Rapunzel.

Oh, you probably don't know who I am. My name is Cassandra. I was born to parents I never knew and adopted by the Captain of the Guards in Corona. Ever since I was six, I've been training with the Royal Guards in hopes that one day I could join them, maybe even succeed my father as Captain. I trained hard, learned as much as I could about castle procedure, collected as many weapons as I could get my hands on, and mapped out every corner of the kingdom. If I was going to join the Guard, I had to be the best. In spite of my father's insistence that I wasn't ready once I was old enough to try out, I kept training - even in secret if necessary. But truth be told, I had another reason to continue becoming the fiercest warrior in the seven kingdoms.

I was determined to find the Lost Princess.

You know the story, right? The sun drop flower, the queen falling ill, the kingdom searches for the flower and finds it, queen is cured, baby born with golden hair, baby gets kidnapped, no one knows where she went - don't ask me to fill in all the details. That story has been told enough times in this kingdom, anyone on the street can fill you in.

Besides, _this is my story_.

Look, I'm not saying the princess' story doesn't matter. It did. A lot.

When I was growing up, I heard her tale a thousand times, almost as often as the celebrations in Corona. I memorized every detail in that story and every work of art featuring the missing girl. Her golden blonde hair and emerald green eyes were seared into my brain. By the time I was a teenager, I realized that I wasn't content with waiting for the princess to come home. No one had any clue where she had gone. And so, I began searching on my own.

At first, my trips to the outskirts of Corona were little more than childish fantasy. I didn't know what to look for. But with time and experience, I learned how to notice little details and look for the bigger picture - which would become vital later on. It was my study of cartography that provided the real breakthrough. Once I was able to understand and read maps, I spent hours and hours charting every location in the kingdom. I started with the castle grounds, studying the rooms and passageways - even the ones hidden beneath the surface. I drew detailed maps of every inch of the town. I scoured the landscape and noted every forest, every creek, every interesting rock formation so I would always know exactly where I was. With each new map, I told myself it would ensure my place in the Guards; deep down, I hoped it would help me find the missing princess.

The journeys became longer as I ventured farther out, searching for any remote location that I hadn't noticed before. Luckily, I had two faithful companions: Fidella, one of the strongest and fastest horses in the kingdom; and my pet owl, whom I simply called Owl. I trusted them more than anyone besides perhaps my father. They were always willing to assist me in my efforts to track down the Lost Princess. In a way, they seemed to understand how much this meant to me. I told myself it was to help me get on the Guard. How could my father - or more importantly, the king and queen - deny my dream when I pulled off the greatest feat that no other adventurer or soldier had accomplished? It had been almost eighteen years since the princess went missing, and if no one had found her during that time, I would be the one.

Which brings me to what started off as a rather uneventful day. I skipped out on my morning duties as a handmaiden because if I had to wash one more load of laundry that week, I would shred each piece of clothing with the dagger I kept on my person at all times. Waking up before sunrise, I yawned and stretched before donning my tunic and tights, then slung my sword and scabbard over my shoulder before grabbing my satchel. Sneaking off to the stables, I found Fidella and dragged her out.

"Don't worry, girl, I promise I'll find you some apples."

Fidella whinnied happily. She was loyal through and through.

I saddled up and we rode out into town. In my satchel, I had a few maps and some pencils, plus a snack I grabbed from the kitchen. I didn't know how long I would be out today, so I was hoping to scrounge for food later; worst case scenario, I would just go back to town and buy some.

Once we got across the bridge connecting the kingdom to the mainland, I whistled. Owl descended with a hoot and landed on my arm. He always knew where to find me. Glad to have him along, I gave him a quick pat before letting him fly.

We rode off into the woods as the sun crept over the horizon. The morning air was cool and sweet. It was invigorating as we dashed through the trees. I was in no hurry, but I wished to get to this one place I had yet to chart on my maps. And it was a long way from the castle, so I was hoping to save time. Dashing through narrow trails and among boulders, Fidella managed to take me to the last spot I had mapped. I gave a swift kick urging her onward, and she responded with a neigh and a gallop.

A little farther and we finally came to a stop. I noticed an apple tree nearby and took Fidella over to it. Snatching a few juicy ones, I gave them to her as her just reward for being such a faithful steed. Whistling once more, I saw Owl swooping overhead. He flew down and perched on my arm.

"See if you can find anything interesting," I said.

Hooting once as if he understood, he took off and soared above the trees. I scanned my surroundings before taking out my maps, trying to remember which one I was working on today. Finding a smooth rock, I set the map down and looked over what I had marked. This place was definitely unfamiliar to me; I wasn't even sure I knew it existed. Something about this place seemed... odd. As if it wasn't meant to be found. Which renewed my spirit, because finding a place that some old cartographers had not charted before was quite an achievement in my book.

Map in hand, I began walking around to look for any notable landmarks. I must have spent just fifteen minutes pacing through the grove when Owl came soaring in hooting twice. Somebody was approaching.

I leapt behind a rock and waited. Sure enough, a cloaked figure appeared in the distance, hood covering their head. Whoever it was was carrying a basket, as if they were going to the market to buy food. I wondered if this person was lost, but thought better than to reveal myself. As far as I was concerned, my mapmaking trips were secret endeavors, and if this person happened to notice me - or worse, Fidella, a palace horse...

_Oh no._

My heart skipped a beat as I turned my head toward the place I had left Fidella. The figure was heading in that direction. _No no no!_

A sound like crunching twigs made me almost jump out of my skin. It was Fidella; she must have come looking for me after getting her fill of apples. Turning back to where the stranger was, I didn't see anything. Thank goodness. They must have not heard Fidella approaching.

"Hey girl," I said shakily as I gently stroked her nose. "You really scared me there."

Fidella nuzzled me, and I couldn't help but smile. She was just looking out for me.

"Now, where did that person come from?" I asked. Turning to Owl, I gave him a look that he understood, and he flew off in the direction from which the person came. I followed with Fidella close behind. A loud hoot signaled that Owl had found something. Picking up the pace, I came to what looked like a rock covered in vines.

"Uh...?" I was so confused. Owl wasn't there, and this place looked like a dead end.

But a hoot seemed to echo from behind the vines. Reaching out, I realized they were concealing the entrance to a tunnel. I slipped inside with Fidella following, and we walked on until we reemerged in the daylight. I saw Owl fly past hooting, and as I followed his path, that's when I saw it.

A tower standing in the middle of a field, surrounded by high cliffs and a waterfall in the distance. "Whoever lives here must really value their privacy," I said to myself as I walked closer to the tower. One thing I noticed was that there was no staircase or ladder. How on earth was one supposed to get inside?

Good thing I never left the castle without my tools.

Checking the weapons kit I had attached to the saddle, I pulled out two daggers and looked back at the tower. It was a long way up, but I wasn't about to go looking for a secret staircase. Something told me if I did, the person living here would not be happy. So I braced myself and jammed a dagger into a crevice in the wall, then the other, and slowly climbed up the side of the tower. I tried not to look down as I inched ever higher, though my hands felt sweaty from the effort. Good thing I wore gloves.

Finally, I reached the top and grabbed hold of a ledge jutting out from the window. I scrambled up onto it and ducked inside, which looking back was not the wisest move...

Within seconds of me stumbling into the dimly-lit room, I felt a hard object collide with the back of my head before falling to the ground.


	2. First Impressions

When I came to, I felt a little dizzy. Someone must have knocked me out. Great. I had managed to break into this weird tower and forgotten the most basic rule about entering unfamiliar spaces: always check your surroundings.

As I opened my eyes and blinked a few times, I noticed I was sitting in the middle of a room with a small pool of sunlight illuminating the center. I tried to reach up to feel my head, but I couldn't move. I looked down, utterly confused and starting to panic. Sure enough, I was bound to the chair; my arms, legs and torso were tied firmly to it. But as I looked at the bindings, I realized it wasn't rope or chains.

It was… hair?

A trail of blonde hair snaked across the floor from where I was being held prisoner. I had to be dreaming; there was no way this was happening. Perhaps I was still out cold and hallucinating.

"Struggling is pointless!"

A small, scared voice broke my thoughts. My eyes darted up towards the rafters searching for its source. They were covered in shadows, but I was able to see a figure jump down from its perch and land just beyond the reach of the light.

"I know why you're here, and I'm not afraid of you!" The voice belonged to a girl. Despite her attempts at sounding brave, I could sense her fear.

"Look, if you're going to interrogate me, get on with it," I said in a firm, steady voice. Truthfully, I was a little afraid as well, but I wasn't going to give my captor the satisfaction of reducing me to cowardice. I narrowed my eyes in the direction of the figure. "Come out so I can see you."

The figure stepped forward into the light. It was a girl – a girl with long blonde hair that appeared attached to the hair tied around my limbs. She had a purple dress and bare feet and was holding a frying pan in her hands which I quickly deduced was the object that caused my blackout some minutes ago. Her face had that determined look of someone trying to be brave. And her eyes…

They were green, like emeralds.

"Who are you and how did you find me?" she asked.

I said nothing, too entranced by her appearance. There was something about those eyes. No, surely not…

Taking another step forward and lifting her frying pan higher, she asked again, "Who are you and how did you find me?"

Snapping out of my wide-eyed stupor, I shook my head to process how best to answer her question. She did not seem threatening, but there was no telling if she was secretly harboring bad intentions. I rarely trust anyone, and I certainly wasn't going to let this girl off the hook so easily. I needed to find a way to learn who she was before giving up too much information.

"I'm no one of great importance," I said, cringing a bit as the words left my mouth even though it was the truth. "And I was just passing through the woods nearby when I happened to stumble upon your tower. But I swear I am not here to hurt you."

We stared at each other for a moment. She did not seem convinced.

"Who else knows my location?"

"No one," I said. Technically, it was the truth. "No other person knows of this place."

The girl shifted her pan to one hand and approached slowly, keeping her eyes fixed on me. "Then what brought you here?"

"Uh…"

"What do you want with my hair?"

"Excuse me?" I turned my head as she walked past, utterly bewildered at the question.

"Cut it? Steal it?" She circled around and held the pan menacingly up to my face.

"Why on earth would I want your hair? The only thing I want to do regarding your hair is to get out of it!"

As she circled around again, she paused. "You… don't want my hair?"

I just shot her an exasperated look. What was so special about this insanely long mane of hers? Did she have some sort of obsession with growing it out? I knew of girls who liked to grow their hair for ridiculous styles, but this one looked as if she had never bothered to do so much as a single braid.

Suddenly, I noticed a flash of green appearing on the girl's shoulder. It was a lizard. The creature raced down her arm and to the edge of the frying pan which was mere inches from my face. I shrank back in the chair as the lizard eyed me and made a series of motions as if to say he was watching me. Honestly, I wasn't scared, but it did leave me questioning the sanity of this woman if she was keeping some lizard as a pet – and apparently was in sync with it.

My concerns were not helped when she moved away and proceeded to talk to the creature. She was whispering, but I could still pick up some words.

"I think she's telling the truth… I know, but what choice do I have?"

Great. Of all the people I could run into on the day I skip out on my duties to map out the farthest reaches of Corona, I had to find a strange girl cooped up in a tower with a pet lizard. The longer I stayed here, the more likely I would get caught.

"Okay, Miss… uh…" As the girl turned to face me, she realized I had never told her my name. "What is your name?"

As tempting as it was to lie, I doubted I would see her again, so what was the harm? "I'm Cassandra. What's yours?"

"Rapunzel."

I wish I could recall exactly what I felt in that moment, but all I can remember is blanking out for several seconds. I must have looked like a complete idiot, staring in shock at this girl. Eyes wide, jaw slack, probably forgetting to breathe.

"What… what did you say?"

"I'm Rapunzel!" she answered with more enthusiasm, smiling brightly as she bounced on her feet.

I could barely contain my mounting excitement. Rapunzel? The Lost Princess? Of course! That's why I knew those eyes looked familiar! I'd seen them in paintings and murals of the princess when she was a baby. And the hair! I heard she had beautiful golden hair shortly after her birth. I could feel the smile growing on my face, my fists clenching and unclenching as I fought to keep from bursting with joy. I had done it! I'd found the Lost Princess! There was no way I would be denied a place on the Royal Guard now!

"It's so nice to meet you!" Rapunzel said cheerfully.

"Yeah, the feeling is mutual," I replied, trying to keep a straight face. Thankfully, she hadn't noticed how I was ready to burst over just hearing her name. My lifelong goal had been realized – well, not quite. I just needed to figure out a way to get her back home. If she had been kept here since she was a baby, then I would need to convince her to leave just long enough for me to show her who she really was. If I was lucky, I could even take her to the palace and let the king and queen see her; they would know if she was the one.

Except for one slight obstacle.

"Rapunzel!" A voice called from somewhere outside the tower.

Right. The mysterious cloaked figure.

Rapunzel froze, as did I. Remembering I was still tied up in a chair, I began to panic and struggle against my restraints. But Rapunzel quickly ran over and grabbed a fistful of the hair holding me in place, her face way too close to mine.

"If I hide you, I need you to help me with something. Promise me you will."

What choice did I have? I was the one being held prisoner, and I was about to be discovered unless I did as she ordered. But if I was going to get her out of this tower, I needed to cooperate.

"I promise."

The voice called again. "Rapunzel! Let down your hair!"

Ah, that explained why there were no stairs or a ladder. She quickly unwound her hair and gestured to a wardrobe against the wall. I ran over and flung open the doors, cramming myself inside as Rapunzel hurriedly put the chair back and rushed to the window.

"Coming, Mother!" she called as she flung her hair out the window.

I kept one door slight ajar so I could try to see who this figure was – the kidnapper of the Lost Princess. In a moment of panic, I realized that Fidella was still out there, and all I could do was hope that the person coming up had not seen her. I reached for my dagger; it was still in my boot. I exhaled in relief. Hopefully it would not be needed.

Finally, Rapunzel backed away from the window and another woman came in. I had very little visibility, so I would need to listen closely. A good soldier knows his or her enemy, and I needed to know mine.

"Welcome home, Mother!" Rapunzel said, breathing hard. I bet it wasn't easy lifting a person like that, especially with her own hair.

"Darling, you look exhausted. How do you manage to do that every day without fail?" The voice was definitely an older woman, though the concern didn't seem genuine for some reason.

"Oh, it's nothing," Rapunzel replied.

"Then I don't know why it takes so long!" The woman laughed at her own remark before adding, "I'm just teasing!"

I frowned at that. Even though I didn't have a mother growing up, this woman seemed like a bad one at best. Then again, she wasn't the real mother of Rapunzel, so why would she be a good one?

"I'm making hazelnut soup, your favorite," the woman continued as she crossed the room and set down her basket. From where I sat in the closet, I could barely make out her figure. She seemed to have shoulder-length dark hair with gray streaks and a dark red dress. She moved to somewhere else in the room, just beyond my line of vision. Something about her seemed familiar. I couldn't recall ever seeing this person before in my life, and yet what little I could see and hear made me think of something I hadn't thought about in years…

"Okay, so…" Rapunzel's voice brought me back to my task at hand. "Mother, I was thinking about what we discu-"

"Rapunzel, Mummy's feeling a little run down. Would you sing for me?"

"Oh, sure!"

I had no idea what happened next, but all I could hear was the song of Rapunzel's feet racing across the floor and what sounded like chairs being rearranged. Then I heard her sing a song, except it was very fast and I could scarcely make out the words. From the context, 'Mother' didn't appreciate how fast Rapunzel was doing her task, whatever it was.

"Rapunzel!"

"So! Anyway, as I was about to say, my birthday is in two days! Ta-da!"

"No, can't be. I distinctly remember that your birthday was last year."

Wow, this woman was doing a great job of being the worst parent in the seven kingdoms.

"That's the funny thing about birthdays: they're kind of an annual thing!" Rapunzel continued undeterred. "But as I was saying earlier about the floating lights…"

Judging by the volume of her voice, it sounded like she was getting closer to the closet. My panic returned. Was she going to reveal me? Was this part of whatever deal she had in mind?

"You mean the stars."

"Well, yes, but these aren't fixed in the sky…"

"Because I thought we dropped the issue, sweetheart." It seemed Mother wasn't interested in listening to Rapunzel, and I was torn between anger at her attitude and fear of being discovered.

"But if you would just listen…" Rapunzel sounded dangerously close to the wardrobe now. I grasped my dagger tightly, steadying my breathing and trying to remain as quiet as possible.

"Rapunzel, we're done."

"Mother, please, just lis-"

"ENOUGH WITH THE LIGHTS, RAPUNZEL! YOU ARE NOT LEAVING THIS TOWER EVER!"

My blood froze as her voice echoed throughout the tower. That voice definitely sounded familiar, but why?

"Great, now I'm the bad guy," the woman lamented.

_Of course you are!_ I furiously ground my teeth. Still clutching my dagger, I was severely tempted to burst out of the closet and confront this woman head on. Secrecy be damned; she had kidnapped the princess and seemed determined to keep her hidden from the world. I had to do something.

Fortunately, my better instincts kicked in as the silence rang in my ears. _Don't blow your cover. You don't know what this woman is capable of. You need to earn Rapunzel's trust; that is your mission. If she can't trust you, she will never agree to return to Corona._ And as if on cue, I heard Rapunzel's voice, small and much sadder than before.

"What I was going to say is… I know what I want for my birthday."

"And what is that?" Mother asked begrudgingly. She was really making my blood boil.

"New paint? That paint made from the white shells you once bought me."

"Well that is a very long trip, Rapunzel. Almost three day's time." Clearly, she wasn't thrilled about having to venture so far for that kind of gift. Geez, real 'mom of the year' material.

"I know, I just thought it was a better idea than the… stars."

I could tell these stars or floating lights were a big deal to Rapunzel, but I couldn't figure out why. If she never left the tower, what would be so important to her to make her want to get out? Aside from the obvious.

"You sure you'll be all right?" Mother's voice reached my ears.

"I know I'm safe as long as I'm here," came Rapunzel's reply.

After that, it sounded like Rapunzel was helping prepare for Mother's trip. The woman said she would be back in three days. As they said their goodbyes, it occurred to me that this must be part of Rapunzel's plan. She was sending her 'Mother' away so she could spend time with me. Perhaps these lights had something to do with it.

"I love you, Rapunzel," Mother said as she prepared to depart.

"I love you more," Rapunzel replied.

"I love you most."

Liar. I could think of two people back in Corona who loved Rapunzel far more than this despicable woman ever could. And now, by sheer luck, it seemed I would have a chance to return her to them. But first, to deal with what Rapunzel wanted from me.

After several minutes, I heard footsteps racing toward the closet where I was still hiding. Rapunzel threw the doors open, beaming with such a bright smile I had to squint. She did not see my dagger which I had just stashed away in my boot the moment she reappeared.

"Okay! So, let's talk about our deal."

She extended her hand; I reluctantly took it.

"Fine. Let's talk."


	3. Let's Make a Deal

"Why were you so close to the wardrobe when you were talking to your mother?" I couldn't help but ask as I stepped out. Being blunt may not have been the best approach, but it's how I am.

"Oh! Because I meant to show her this." With a flourish, Rapunzel climbed up on top of a ledge behind the wardrobe, pulling aside a curtain to reveal a mural of sorts. It was rather colorful. It depicted a girl with blonde hair which I presumed was Rapunzel, looking up at what appeared to be a few dozen yellow specks in the night sky. At first, I thought it was just stars like that old woman had said, but then Rapunzel began talking.

"Do you know about these floating lights, Cassandra?"

"Uh, are you sure they're not just stars?"

"No! You see, I have charted the stars…" she flipped a strand of her hair towards a small window in the ceiling and yanked it open. To be honest, I was impressed at what she could do with her hair; it might come in handy later, I figured. Moving my attention away from her hair to the now illuminated ceiling, I saw more paintings but of the stars and the constellations. This girl was no joke.

"…and they remain fixed in their locations. But these lights… they only appear once a year, on my birthday."

"I'm sorry, what?" I shook my head and looked back at Rapunzel.

She had this pensive look as she gazed at her painting of the night sky. "I feel like… they were meant for me."

"Uh-huh, and they appear on your birthday?"

"Yeah. Sounds crazy, right?"

Maybe not. My mind was scrambling to think of what was happening in two days. That's when Rapunzel said her birthday was. _Okay, the princess' birthday… when Corona releases a bunch of…_

"Lanterns," I breathed as it finally hit me.

"What?"

I looked back at Rapunzel. "Those are lanterns. The kingdom of Corona releases hundreds of lanterns every year on that day. It's part of…" I trailed off, not sure if I wanted to explain the exact reason why. "…of the…it's a way for the people to show how much they care about their missing princess."

Rapunzel did not seem to hear the last part. "I knew they weren't just stars. Okay, here's my deal for you, Cassandra. You will escort me and take me to see these lanterns. Then, you will bring me home safely before Mother returns."

I crossed my arms as she laid out the terms. "Are you sure you want to do that? You just met me, after all."

Rapunzel seemed undeterred. Glancing at her lizard friend who gave a stern look in return, she leapt down and snatched up her frying pan. "Something brought you here, Cassandra. Call it what you will: fate, destiny…"

"A horse," I replied dryly.

"But I have made the decision to trust you."

"Well then, Rapunzel," I said matter-of-factly, "you should know that trusting in someone you barely know is a foolish thing to do. It's not something you can just jump into without a second thought; people can and will take advantage of you, waiting for you to let your guard down. You have to be careful who you trust." I wasn't trying to scare her. I just wanted to make clear that trust was not something to be taken lightly. All my life, I have been very guarded around people. It wasn't without reason. People can be selfish and uncaring; if you're not careful, they will hurt you and leave you alone with the pain of betrayal. I was determined to not let that happen to me, and I didn't want Rapunzel – who I was hoping was indeed the Lost Princess – to suffer such pain.

"Fine. I will trust you for now, Cassandra," Rapunzel responded. "But you have to promise me that you will return me to my home."

This was far more difficult than I care to admit. It wasn't surprising that Rapunzel would want reassurance that she would return home safely. But this was not her home! And I was determined to show her that. Plus, her conditions meant that I had two or three days to convince her of what she truly was – or at least enough time for me to discover if she was the real deal. As I made eye contact with her, I found myself staring at someone who was entrusting her personal safety in my hands. Unknowingly putting the future of the kingdom in my hands. I knew I could guarantee her safety; it was the other part I knew I couldn't keep.

Taking a deep breath, I gave my answer. "I promise. And when I make a promise, I never break it."

"Me too. Promises mean a lot to me, and I never break them. _Ever._" Then she pointed her frying pan menacingly at me and added, "But if you do try anything, I will pan you."

With a smug smile, she flipped her pan in the air only to have it collide with the side of her head. She recovered and caught her pan, trying her best to give me one of those 'I'm watching you' looks. I had to admire her spunk. If only she knew the weapons I usually had on my person.

Which reminded me of my sword. I always had it on me – except for that very moment. I had nearly forgotten that I had left it in its scabbard with Fidella, who I was hoping had remained out of sight.

"So…" I decided to make a couple inquiries as Rapunzel prepared to leave. "What's with the lizard?"

"Hm? Oh, that's Pascal. He's a chameleon." She held him out with a smile as if I wanted to pet him. Fat chance. But Pascal did give a little chirp or something like it and puffed out his chest proudly. A lot of personality for a little creature. Perhaps he was a decent companion for this girl and her innocent ways.

"Okay, and is there anything you feel you need to have with you before we go? Because I'm not climbing back down the wall with a huge bag of stuff on my back."

"Don't worry, I won't be bringing too much," Rapunzel replied as she snagged a muffin from the kitchen.

My stomach growled loudly. I had not expected to go this long before eating something.

"Whoa, did somebody not eat breakfast this morning?" Rapunzel asked with a look of surprise.

"Uh…yeah," I said, embarrassed. "I'll take one of those if you don't mind."

"I'll pack them all!" Rapunzel said cheerfully, stuffing about a dozen muffins into a bag. "We will be gone for about three days anyhow. Wouldn't want them to get stale."

"Yeah, right." Deep down, I was hoping we wouldn't have to come back here. Not if I could help it.


	4. Day One

For the record, climbing up the tower was easier than going back down. As I pulled out my daggers and looked down from the ledge, I seriously considered going back inside and finding another way down. There had to be a staircase inside the tower, I just knew it. Then again, trying to find another exit would mean wasting time when that woman could return without warning. Not that I was expecting her to come back in the next five minutes, but I wanted to get out as quickly as possible and there was only one way in my mind.

"Are you coming?" I asked as I clung to the ledge, ready to scale the outer wall again.

"Um, yeah, I'm right behind you," Rapunzel replied, looking rather nervous. Judging by her expression, she must have never left that tower. I wondered how she was going to get down, but before I could ask, she was looping the end of her hair over a hook. _Of course. She could lower herself down._

I focused on my own climb and tried not to look down too much. Having to make sure I didn't move too fast was rather challenging. My foot slipped once as I missed a crevice for support, but otherwise it went smoothly. I was about fifteen feet from the ground when I suddenly saw that long blond hair come tumbling down. Looking back up, my eyes widened as I watched Rapunzel come sliding down, laughing all the way. She came to a stop inches above the ground, as if she was afraid to touch grass. I groaned and quickly scrambled down the rest of the wall.

Dusting myself off, I glanced at Rapunzel, still hanging in midair. "Something wrong?"

"It's just…" she paused before looking at me with big scared eyes, "I've never felt grass before."

That was the saddest thing I had ever heard. If it wasn't apparent to me that this would be a very long day before, it was now. Reaching out an encouraging hand, I said, "Well, I'm sure you'll do fine."

Slowly, Rapunzel took my hand and let a toe touch the ground, then the whole foot, then both feet. She wiggled her toes as she took in the sensation of standing on actual ground for perhaps the first time in her life. A small smile spread on my face for a reason I couldn't quite explain. Then it occurred to me that I was still holding her hand, and I quickly let go. Physical contact was not something I was really accustomed to.

As for Rapunzel, she looked like she was in paradise. She sprawled out on the grass, remarking at how amazing it felt; she marveled at the breeze blowing past, ruffling our hair as she got up and rushed over to the stream nearby; she splashed about in the water like an excitable puppy. It was oddly fun to watch. I never quite imagined the Lost Princess being like this, but then again, my impression of royalty was shaped by what I knew of royals growing up. I never considered the possibility of a girl growing up not knowing how it felt to be outside of a room among nature.

A loud whinny made me snap my head around. Fidella emerged from the other side of the tower; it looked like she had been hiding like the clever horse she was.

"There you are! I was worried you might have been seen." I walked over and stroked her nose. She nuzzled me reassuringly in response.

Rapunzel, having paused her frolicking, came over and stared wide-eyed at Fidella. "Whoa… is this your horse?"

"Uh, yeah, she is," I said, not wanting to admit she was a palace horse and technically not mine. But I didn't need to reveal that I lived at the palace right now. There were lots of other things to sort out first. "Her name is Fidella."

"Can I pet her?"

"Of course." I brought Fidella closer as Rapunzel gingerly held out a hand. Fidella lowered her head and leaned into Rapunzel's touch, as if to say she meant no harm. Sure enough, Rapunzel began to get excited and started stroking her nose and making small talk to her.

Once she had her fill, Rapunzel turned to me and asked, "So, did Fidella lead you here?"

I gave a smirk. "Well, not exactly." I gave a whistle and with a hoot, Owl came soaring down and landed on my arm.

Rapunzel gasped. "Wow! You have your own pet owl, too! What's his name?"

I stared at her for a second and said flatly, "Owl."

Eyeing the satchel of muffins Rapunzel had slung over her shoulder, I offered to keep them with Fidella. "Just so you don't have to carry them all day."

Rapunzel agreed happily but pointed out that she would keep her frying pan. Somehow, I had missed that detail when helping her down.

As I placed the satchel on the saddle along with the other gear I had brought, Rapunzel began walking toward the hidden entrance from which I had come. Then she broke into a run.

"Rapunzel! Wait up!" I started running after her, suddenly worrying about losing the missing princess within mere hours of finding her. But as I emerged on the other side of the passageway, she was just bouncing around exclaiming, "I can't believe I did this!"

And then things got… interesting. Rapunzel had this war with herself over whether she was making the right choice or not regarding leaving that tower. "Mother would be so furious… Well, that's okay. I mean she won't find out, right? … Oh my gosh, this would kill her! … This is so fun! … I am a terrible person. I'm going back… I am never going back! … I am a despicable human being… Best! Day! Ever!"

And for the entire time, I had to watch her argue with herself over her choice. I'm no expert on emotions or feelings in general, and intervention seemed inadvisable. Thankfully, there was now food available, and my stomach loudly reminded me that I needed to fuel up for what was turning into the longest day of my life. I grabbed a muffin as she freaked out about what would happen when 'Mother' found out and shoved it in my mouth, mostly to keep from groaning. It was soft and still warm… and with blueberries? _Wow, Rapunzel really knows how to bake._ So, I kept stuffing my mouth full of soft berry-filled goodness as Rapunzel kept debating with herself. But when she swung around a tree by her hair exclaiming how this was the "Best! Day! Ever!", I couldn't help but smile. There was just… something about her excitement, her innocence and the way she seemed blissfully unaware of how hard life can be that was oddly refreshing.

Which is why, when she finally stopped and just sat down and cried, I paused with my fifth muffin in my hand – I had yet to take a bite – and walked over to her. I cleared my throat and held out the muffin. She sniffed, looked up, and took it gratefully.

"Look, I'm… er, I don't really do touchy-feely, so this may not be the best advice. But I get that you feel bad – uh, conflicted over leaving your home. We all must leave at some point, though. If you focus too much on what you're leaving behind, you'll never be able to see what's in front of you or what you can achieve." It was true – at least for me. I tried not to dwell on the past too much; it hurt to think about things I could not control.

Rapunzel took a bite of muffin and after contemplating my advice, she asked, "Was it hard for you to leave home?"

Guess I should have seen it coming. I stood there, slack jawed. She had caught me off guard. "Uh… I don't want to discuss this with you." Realizing that came out a bit harsh, I added, "Sorry."

"No, it's okay," Rapunzel said with a small smile as she finished her muffin. "We have just met, after all. I probably shouldn't be so nosy."

"Yeah," I replied with a chuckle. I walked back over to Fidella to fetch my flask. I needed a drink after eating all those muffins. Taking a long drink of refreshingly cool water, I had just put the flask back on the saddle when I heard a scream. I whipped my head around and saw that Rapunzel was gone. Panic coursing through my veins, I unsheathed my sword.

"Rapunzel!" I shouted as I ran in the direction of the scream. Slashing at a bush, I leapt over it before skidding to a halt. There was Rapunzel, safe and unharmed – and kneeling beside a bunny.

"It's so cute!" she exclaimed with a big smile.

Annoyed, I breathed deeply through my nose to calm down a bit before laying down a simple rule. "Look, Rapunzel, if you want me to accompany you to see the lanterns in two days, you've got to stay close to me. I would hate to lose you and have something happen." _Because I would never forgive myself if the Lost Princess got hurt on my watch,_ I added silently.

"Okay," Rapunzel said as she got to her feet. "Sorry."

"Don't worry, just warn me next time." I gave her a slight grin as we walked back to Fidella.

"So, what should we do now?" Rapunzel asked, taking my free hand.

I looked down surprised, but I did not pull it away this time. As I took in the eager look in her eyes, I suggested, "How about your first horse riding lesson?"


	5. Wind in Our Hair

"Don't worry, she's gentle." I held Fidella's reins and beckoned Rapunzel closer. She had become a little nervous at the thought of riding a horse and seemed reluctant to approach now.

"Should I have a different outfit?" she asked, looking down at her purple dress.

"Eh, you'll be fine," I replied with a shrug. "It's not impossible to ride a horse while wearing a dress. Lots of fancy ladies do it, but I'm going to teach you the real way to ride one."

That seemed to give Rapunzel a spurt of confidence, because she looked back up at me with that impossibly wide grin. "Okay then! Let's do this!"

I moved around to show her where to put her feet and what to hold onto, and with a couple attempts she managed to hoist herself up. Adjusting her skirt, she got both legs on either side of Fidella's back and got comfortable in the saddle.

"Whoa, it's kinda high up here!" Rapunzel remarked as she glanced down at me.

I couldn't help but chuckle at her comment. "She's a big horse."

Fidella snuffled in reply.

"Now, what do I do?"

"First, you need to hold on to the reins here," I said, pointing to the leather straps. She grasped them so tightly, I could see her knuckles turning white. "For now, I will guide Fidella so you don't have to tell her to do anything. Just want to make sure you like the feel of being on a horse."

If Rapunzel had never seen a horse in her life, much less ridden one, then I had to be sure she wouldn't freak out. I walked toward the front and took the bit to lead Fidella. Of course, I could have walked a little farther in front to guide her, but my gut told me I needed to stay close so that Rapunzel would have the assurance that if anything happened, I was right there. Slowly, I began to walk, leading Fidella through the glen at an easy pace. I looked back over my shoulder to check on Rapunzel and found her sitting a little too rigidly in place, hands still gripping the reins.

"You can lean forward if you want. Fidella won't mind if you have to hold on to her neck; just don't be sudden about it."

Rapunzel did so, dropping the reins and pressing herself against Fidella's mane. She was surprised at how soft it was, and that helped steady her nerves a bit.

Guiding Fidella into a turn, I started to do some circles. "Keep it up, girl," I said and let go of the bridle. Rapunzel looked at me with wide eyes and I said, "I'm right here. She's just going to walk around slowly until I tell her otherwise."

Turning back to focus on her task, Rapunzel began to sit up a little, then fully upright. She held the reins firmly but not as tight as before. After a minute, she began to look around and take in the trees and the sun shining through the leaves. I had to admit, she looked pretty good on horseback – although her hair kept dragging along the forest floor. That would need to be handled before we ventured much further.

"Uh, Cassandra? How do I get her to stop?"

"Just tug gently on the reins."

Rapunzel did so, and Fidella stopped. I walked over to them as Rapunzel was patting her neck with a slight smile.

"What do you think?"

"It was fun!" Rapunzel said cheerfully. "Can I go faster?"

"Yes, you can, but we should probably do something about your hair." Reaching into my toolkit attached to the saddle, I pulled out a dagger and grasped a fistful of long blonde hair.

"NO!"

I let go and stepped back with my hands raised, still holding the dagger.

"Please don't cut my hair." Rapunzel grabbed a bunch of it, nearly forgetting she was sitting on a horse.

"Why not?"

Rapunzel glanced about, answering, "Uh… I'm not sure I should tell you. Not now."

It annoyed me at first that she was being so cryptic, but then I realized she was just following my advice from earlier: be careful who you trust. And she probably didn't trust me enough to tell the truth, which was understandable. Shrugging, I returned the dagger to my kit. "Okay, fair enough. But we will need to come up with a solution. We can't have you collecting leaves and twigs all over the forest because you let your hair grow out."

Rapunzel chuckled at that and brushed a lock behind her ear. "So, how come you have so many weapons?"

"Hm?"

"I mean, you used daggers to climb up the tower apparently; you had a sword when you found me with the bunny; and you just pulled out yet another dagger! Where's the war?"

I shook my head. "You should see my armoire."

"Your what?"

"My wardrobe. I have even more there." I felt a surge of pride in talking about my weapons collection. It was one of the perks of living in a castle.

"Really? But why would you have so many?" Rapunzel asked, her eyes wide with excitement – and perhaps a hint of skepticism.

"Well…" I paused, debating whether to be honest or not. But something in my gut told me that I had to come clean at some point; she was the Lost Princess, after all, and she should know who I am. "When your dad is Captain of the Guards, you tend to collect… stuff." I pulled out the dagger in my boot and shot her a cocky grin.

"Whoa, your dad is a captain? Like a soldier?" She was hooked.

"Yep. Someday, I'm going to succeed him." I had to stop myself because if I kept going, I would reveal what had really brought me out here, and I couldn't do that. Not yet.

"You know, I was kind of worried you were some ruffian or something," Rapunzel said, interrupting my thoughts.

"Because of how I looked?"

"No, because you were able to climb up so easily. And you had those daggers. And… okay, maybe your outfit, but I haven't met many people!"

I just glanced back at the satchel. "No kidding."

"And you have all these weapons. It's a little scary… but also exciting." Rapunzel gave a small smile at that, as if she was glad that I was the one who ran into her – and the feeling was mutual.

"Well, I can assure you that I am not a ruffian or a thief. I'm the one the ruffians should be afraid of." She giggled at that, and I continued, "As long as you're with me, you will never have to worry about being in danger from such people. I will do everything to protect you, Rapunzel." The words came out of my mouth before I could stop myself. I had already promised to take her to see the lanterns in two days, but why was I saying this? Did my yearning to find the Lost Princess really come out right then? She had barely known me for a day and here I was making grand promises I wasn't sure I could keep. Of course, I wanted to protect her, but how could I be certain I would succeed?

"Thank you, Cassandra. That means a lot." I found myself getting lost in her smile. There was something positively radiant about it, though I couldn't figure out why.

After a moment, I cleared my throat and said, "We should probably get moving."

"Can I ride Fidella a bit longer?" Rapunzel asked. "Maybe a bit faster?"

I looked at Fidella and stroked her nose. She had spent enough time resting, she deserved to stretch her legs a bit. Turning back to Rapunzel, I smiled and said, "Sure."

"Yay! So, what do I do?"

"Actually, I'm going to show you." I helped her down first so I could get in the saddle properly. Then I reached down to hoist her up.

"Should I be in front?" she asked.

"Your hair will get in the way, and I need to see where we're going."

She grabbed my hand and I pulled her on. Once Rapunzel was comfortable, she put her hands on the rear of the saddle.

"Uh, you should probably hold on to something else," I said.

"Oh, okay." And without another word, she put both her hands on my waist. I could feel my face getting hot; this was not something I had anticipated, which was really stupid.

"Okay…" I could feel my cheeks turning red and was really glad she couldn't see. "Now, just… hold on tight." And with a flick of the reins and a shout, Fidella was off. Almost immediately, Rapunzel flung her arms around my waist and was clinging to me for dear life. It was so unusual to have anyone this close to me, yet in this instance I had no choice. Instead, I focused on the pathways in front of us and encouraged Fidella to go a little faster. She did as we approached the edge of the woods.

We rode into an open field and I really let Fidella run. The wind whipped past our faces, and I glanced back to see that impossibly long hair flying in the breeze. Rapunzel was still pressed to my back, but her nervousness was replaced with excitement, and she let out a whoop as we galloped through the meadow. The feeling of having her so close, knowing she was enjoying this as much as I was, gave me this weird sensation like I never felt before. Something that warmed every corner of my body, which was offset by the cool wind in our hair. We had the whole day ahead of us, and nothing was going to stop me.

I led Fidella on to the edge of the kingdom. Rapunzel probably didn't know where she was, so I thought I'd give her a view fitting for a girl trapped in a tower all her life. Eventually, the outer wall loomed on the horizon and I urged Fidella on, leaping over a stream along the way and ducking around more trees. As we drew close, I heard Rapunzel gasp.

"Don't worry, I just want to show you something."

We came to a stop at the foot of the wall and I helped Rapunzel down. Then I had Fidella help me up the wall; once I scrambled up to the top, I reached back down for Rapunzel as she was boosted up.

"Take a look."

Rapunzel gazed out over the landscape beyond Corona. She breathed in deeply and smiled as the wind carried her hair once more, dancing like a golden banner behind us. "I've never seen anything so… beautiful."

_That makes two of us,_ I thought to myself as I watched her. How strange it was to be so captivated by her. I still knew little about her and what she liked; she could have some weird hobbies or a craving for a bizarre type of food. Even worse, she might not be the one I've been looking for all these years. And yet, in this moment, I just had to believe she was the one. If Corona's emblem was the sun, this girl seemed the embodiment of it.

"If only I could go out there and see everything." Rapunzel's sad tone broke me out of my thoughts and prompted me to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You will. Someday."

"But I have to return home. What if this is my only chance to see the world?"

My heart ached at those words. I was determined to not let her return to that awful woman to be locked away again. She just couldn't know that yet.

"Then we will make the most of these few days." She smiled again, and I got an idea. "Hey, what do you say we go find ourselves a little adventure, huh? We can head back into the woods and see what we discover."

"That sounds amazing!" Rapunzel said eagerly. "And Cassandra… thank you for taking me out here."

She gave me a quick hug. I hesitated for a moment, then returned it gingerly. "No problem, Raps."

It just came to me naturally. I liked the sound of it, the way it flowed effortlessly off my tongue. I just hoped she didn't mind.

She pulled back but did not let go of my shoulder. "Raps… I like it. Can I call you…?"

"Call me Cass."


	6. The Snuggly Duckling

We rode back into the woods and just wandered about for a while. Raps was still her bubbly self, taking in everything like a child on her birthday. After some time, we let Fidella have a break and walked along with her tailing close behind. Owl swooped in and out among the trees as Pascal watched warily from Rapunzel's shoulder.

"Do you think Owl could be friends with Pascal?" Raps asked.

"Sorry, Raps, but he's not exactly fond of lizards," I replied as I stroked Owl who had landed on my arm for a minute. "Unless he can eat them."

At those words, Pascal ducked for cover. But he was safe; I wasn't going to let Owl make him into a snack if Raps cared about him so much.

A bit longer and we came to a small clearing. I knew pretty much where we were so it was not all that surprising when Raps asked about the funny-looking building tucked away among the trees.

"Ah yes, the Snuggly Duckling."

"Ooh, are there ducklings in there?" Raps asked, her eyes shining bright.

"Eh… no," I answered.

"Then, what is it?" she pressed curiously.

"It's an inn, like a place to grab a meal or rest. Though I wouldn't want to spend a night here." I crossed my arms as I spoke. I had been by this place once or twice before, and I knew from word of mouth what kind of characters frequented an establishment like this. It certainly wasn't the law-abiding type.

"Well, I wouldn't mind a quick bite," Raps continued, her curiosity seeming to get the better of her.

I looked at her skeptically. "You sure you want to check it out?"

"Why not?" Raps said innocently. "Should I be worried? I mean, you're here with me."

She did have a point. I gave it a bit of thought, then realized this could actually work quite well in my favor. Smiling slyly, I said, "Okay, but stay close."

We left Fidella by the post for horses, then making sure Raps was close behind me, I gave the front door a hard kick.

If Rapunzel had any question as to why I did that, it must have died on her tongue. She gasped as she took in the sight in front of us: a dimly lit room full of all sorts of unsavory, roguish looking men who either glared at us or looked inquisitively at the new intruders. I stepped inside, chest swelling up instinctively while Raps held out her frying pan in her best effort to ward off danger. One very large thug with absurdly long horns on his helmet approached us. I took a step back and shot up an arm in front of Rapunzel; it just felt natural, like I'd always been there protecting her.

"What are two little girls like you doing out here?" he growled in a deep voice.

"Looking for food," I retorted, glaring him down.

Another one laughed. "Well, it's not gonna be anything like the palace, Bowl Cut!"

My fist clenched as I shot daggers at the idiot who said those words. Metaphorical daggers, not literal ones – yet.

"What did you say?"

"I said you better get on back to the palace, Lady Frowns-a-lot."

Growling, I closed the distance and slugged the guy in the jaw, then proceeded to slam his face onto the table and pin his elbow behind him. But in my moment of anger, I had forgotten about Rapunzel, and soon I heard a squeal that made me whip my head around.

A short man with a hideous complexion was examining her hair and holding it as she scurried away, gathering as much of her blonde locks as she could. "That's a lot of hair," the man said in a somewhat bored voice.

Releasing the guy I had pinned to the table, I whipped out my dagger and threw it towards the short man, nailing him by his collar to the wall. Raps shrunk behind me as the other thugs took a few steps back.

"Hey! That's the girl from the guard!"

"No, she's not a guard!"

"But I've seen her in the markets buying all sorts of weapons! She's dangerous!"

Well, it seemed I had a bit of a reputation after all. As the murmurs continued around us, I glanced at Raps to make sure she was safe. She looked back at me with a mixture of fear and awe – and I suddenly had an idea.

"Just sit tight, Raps. I've got this." I stepped forward and addressed the thugs in the room: "Anyone else want to take their shot at the future captain of the guard? Here's your chance!" I held out my arms tauntingly as I stared down everyone around me.

"Cass! What are you doing?" Raps hissed, her hands shaking as she clutched her frying pan defensively.

Sure enough, one rather dumb-looking thug came running and I swept low for his hook foot and sent him tumbling into the table. I stood up and grinned wickedly at the rest of the thugs.

"Who's next?"

Fourteen bruises, ten sore backs, five sprained legs and lots of manly tears later, I was in the middle of pinning the last poor thug and getting him to cry "Uncle!" when Raps intervened to ask if there was any decent food in the place. The guy whimpered and said there was half a pie over by the bar, pleading for mercy. Once Raps had the pie in hand, I let him go.

"Thanks for the workout, guys!" I waved as we made our exit, smiling as if this was a regular thing I did with close friends. Which was funny because I had none. And I never really tried to fight so many people at once, unless you count my training sessions with the guards who were still willing to try their luck against me. But seeing Rapunzel's face as I knocked out each thug was worth it, and I had barely a mark to show for it. Just a little sweat.

Taking a swig from my flask to cool my parched throat, Raps saddled on up next to me with a somewhat mischievous look. "What?"

"You planned that, didn't you?"

"Going into a room full of thugs and singlehandedly taking them all down? Yeah, totally had that planned from the moment I got up this morning," I said sarcastically.

"But that was so cool!" Raps continued excitedly, nearly dropping the pie as she bounced. I took it out of her hands as she added, "You're so strong! You just challenged all those ruffians and… uh, I guessed you really roughed them up!"

I took a piece of pie and chewed for several seconds before registering what Raps just said. "Wait… roughed up the ruffians?" I stared at her, then groaned. "Ugh, that is so bad."

"What?"

"That pun, it's terrible."

"I don't get it."

Right. Girl fresh out of the tower. Some things had to be explained. Giving her a piece of pie, I told her what puns were, but she brushed it off saying she knew what they were. I glared for a moment, realizing she was learning quickly how to yank my chain. Yet I couldn't really stay mad at her. I hated to admit it, but Rapunzel was starting to grow on me. Maybe looking out for the supposed Lost Princess wouldn't be such a chore after all.


	7. Frustrations and Revelations

As the sun began to set, I suggested we start looking to set up camp. We found a stream which would provide some clean water, so I topped off my canteens as Rapunzel waded into the water and splashed around.

"Having fun?" I asked.

"The best!" Raps replied, flashing her high-noon smile. "This has been such a fun day! And now we get to sleep under the stars!"

"First things first, Raps. We need to make dinner. I'll go find some stuff to make soup; you gather some wood for the fire." Good thing I got ahold of a pot and ladle earlier. Something in my gut told me they would come in handy down the road, and Rapunzel's frying pan wasn't exact soup-making material.

I started foraging for a bit and came back to our designated spot. There was a small pile of twigs but no Raps.

"Rapunzel?"

On cue, she appeared upside-down from the tree I was standing next to. I fell over in shock.

"I was just thinking, wouldn't it be nice to add some minne to the soup? It's this special spice Mother uses when she makes soup."

Brushing myself off, I said, "No, that won't be necessary. I think we can manage with what we have here." Depositing the ingredients, I handed the pot to Raps. "Why don't you go fill that with water? I'll get some more firewood."

"Sure!" Raps took the pot and walked off toward the stream.

I took an axe from my weapons kit and spent several minutes chopping off bits of wood for kindling. Owl swooped in and hooted.

"What? I'm not mad."

Owl gave me a look.

"Oh, don't do that," I hissed. "I asked the princess to do a simple thing and she half-completed the task. Sure, she's new to a lot of things but I can expect more from her, right?"

Returning to our campsite, I found Fidella and our stuff… and no Rapunzel or the pot.

"Oh no, where did she go now?" I groaned as I dropped the firewood and walked to the stream. She wasn't along the bank, but the pot was lying there. Empty. Now I was starting to worry. A noise downstream made me run to a spot just before the water cascaded over some rocks – not a steep drop but it ran for a good several feet. Definitely not a spot where you'd want to go for a swim. There on the other side of the stream along the edge of a tall rocky overlook was Rapunzel, reaching for a blue flower that had to be the minne she was talking about.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," I muttered under my breath. I couldn't reach her easily, so I was left watching from my side of the flowing water. An uneasy feeling took root in the pit of my stomach, but I tried to shrug it off as hunger. _Don't think about it. You're fine._

Just as Raps grabbed a fistful of the flower, her foot slipped and she stumbled. She tried clinging to the rocks but within seconds she tumbled into the stream below with a cry.

"Rapunzel!" I shouted. Fear made my blood run cold as Raps came bobbing up for air, but her long hair was getting dragged downstream and pulling her along. I had to think fast.

Tearing off my gloves, I ran to the spot where the rocks jutted out of the water. Raps was a good distance away but trying to keep her head above water. I looked out and noticed I could jump out on top of the rocks and reach out to pull her to safety. The problem was making sure I didn't fall in. _Come on, don't be a wimp,_ I said to myself. I leapt out and landed on the first rock, catching my balance and gauging the distance to the next one. As I jumped to the second rock, I slipped and cried out. Raps was getting closer. My anxiety was becoming too much. I crouched low and reached out as far as my hand would go.

"Raps! Give me your hand!"

Raps managed to grab my hand but the water kept pulling her and her hair along. Before I knew it, I was falling into the stream and trying not to let go of Rapunzel. I struggled to get my head above water and lashed about desperately trying to keep from going under again. Grabbing onto a rock with my free hand, I tried to stop us from getting dragged further downstream, but the current was too strong and Rapunzel too heavy with all her wet hair. I pleaded silently as my fingers slowly slipped, crying out before being pushed back under as I lost my grip.

A little further down, I found a root sticking out from the bank and latched on for dear life. After a struggle, I pulled Rapunzel up and heaved her onto the shore, following suit and collapsing beside her. I coughed up some water and gasped for air. Several seconds later, Rapunzel spoke first.

"Wow, that was… exciting."

I opened my eyes. My chest was still heaving from that little rescue. "Exciting?"

"Yeah, thank goodness you were there to-"

"What were you thinking?!" I rolled over to face her, sitting up with some difficulty. My arms still shook from the fear that still lingered in my mind.

"I… I just wanted…" Raps tried to say but I wasn't having it.

"Never mind," I huffed as I got to my feet. "Come on, let's head back. I'll start making the soup." I didn't bother to pull Raps up; she was left to get the excess water out of her hair before trudging back quietly behind me. I picked up my discarded gloves and kept walking.

Once I got the fire going, Rapunzel showed up with a pot full of water and a handful of minne. I rolled my eyes. After my pathetic rescue attempt, I was very much tempted to throw that cursed blue plant in the fire. If only Rapunzel had left it alone and done what I asked her to do.

I got the soup to a simmer and Raps came up and tossed in the minne.

"Sorry for the trouble, I just wanted to surprise you."

"Uh huh," I replied, focusing on stirring the soup. I was sitting on a log by the fire tending to our dinner, and Raps moved to join me. She sat down abruptly and knocked me forward. As my left hand was holding the ladle, I shot out my right to brace myself, but it landed on the side of the pot.

"AAAH!" I recoiled and held my burned hand close to my chest. The one time I didn't put my gloves on and this is what happened.

"Oh gosh! I'm so sorry!" Rapunzel apologized, quickly backing away. I didn't look at her, squeezing my eyes shut as the pain left me clutching my injured hand. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," I said through gritted teeth.

Rapunzel wasn't convinced. "Are you sure…"

"I SAID I'M FINE!" I shouted as I spun my head around and glared at her. Anger coursed through my veins. Was this what I got for trying to save the Lost Princess? Thieves and ruffians, I could handle. Nearly drowning and getting burned because of a klutzy girl was not what I had signed up for. Why couldn't she just listen to me? I had given her simple instructions but she was too focused on finding a stupid flower just to spice up a soup. I was so blinded by pain and fury that I barely registered the tears forming in those emerald eyes.

"But you're hurt…" Rapunzel said, her voice quivering.

"Yeah, no thanks to you," I spat, turning away and cradling my hand. For the briefest of moments, I thought it would have been better to have not come out to the woods that morning and save me all this trouble. Now I would have to deal with my sword-fighting hand being less than combat-ready, all because of Rapunzel.

But just as quickly as that thought crossed my mind, it was chased away as Rapunzel grabbed my arm and spun me around.

"Hey! Let go!" I struggled to break free of her grasp. She was remarkably strong.

"Give me your hand!"

"No! You've done enough damage already!"

"Let me help!" Rapunzel was crying now, and as I pulled back again she seized my wrist and quickly wrapped some of her hair around my burned hand.

"What are you…"

"Trust me. Please."

I paused, looking into her eyes. They were swimming with tears, but her sincerity shown through. Somehow, my anger dissipated, and I resigned to letting her do whatever she thought would help. I watched silently, hissing as she finished wrapping her hair a bit too tight.

"Sorry," she said with the most apologetic voice. "I promise this will help. Just… please don't freak out."

I looked at her utterly bewildered, one eyebrow raised as she held my injured hand – now wrapped in her hair – in her palms. Closing her eyes, she took a few calming breaths and began to sing:

_Flower gleam and glow_

_Let your power shine_

_Make the clock reverse_

_Bring back what once was mine_

_Heal was has been hurt_

_Change the Fates' design_

_Save what has been lost_

_Bring back what once was mine_

_What once was mine_

As she sang, her hair began to glow. All of it. I watched wide-eyed as whatever magic seemed to be flowing through her blonde locks worked its way to the hair around my hand. I happened to notice Pascal sitting nearby, pointing at his own little foot with a knowing smile. Whatever she was doing must have been a regular thing. Maybe what I heard back in the tower.

When her song finished, the glow faded and her hair returned to its normal color. She looked up, the tears finally stopped but the streaks remained.

I glanced down at my hand and slowly unwrapped the hair. As it fell away, I was overcome with complete shock and disbelief. The skin was perfectly normal. Not a trace of injury. I turned it over and flexed my fingers. No pain. I struggled to find my powers of speech as I shakily looked up at Rapunzel. She was holding up her hands as if to say "Please don't scream." But I didn't.

"H…h…how long have you been able to do that?" I finally managed.

Dropping her shoulders in relief, Raps answered, "Forever. Pretty much since I was born. When I was a baby, people would try and take my hair, to use it for its power." She brushed her hair to the side to reveal a small brown lock along her neck. "But when it gets cut, it loses its power."

"So that's why you never left the tower," I interjected, putting the pieces together before she could finish. Raps simply nodded and looked away. Of course, I knew how she wound up in that tower. The problem was I still didn't have her trust to share that truth yet.

Fiddling with her hair, Raps added in a sad voice, "And now I'm starting to think Mother was right. I wanted to see the world so badly, but she always said it's a dark and dangerous place. You were just trying to help me, but I almost got us both hurt. I mean… I did hurt you."

"Hey, it's fine," I tried to reassure her. I wasn't sure I needed to deal with this much emotion in one day.

"I'm sorry I didn't listen," Raps continued, fixing me with another apologetic gaze. "I just wanted to surprise you with the minne, but I should have just done what you told me. Instead I put you in danger."

My mind suddenly recalled the fear I felt at the rushing water and the terror in my veins as we nearly drowned. It must have shown on my face because Raps asked if she said something wrong.

"Huh? Oh, no… it's nothing."

"Cass, please," she reached out and took my hand. I flinched a little at the contact but relaxed after a moment. "You can tell me."

I looked into her eyes for a few seconds, then back at the fire where the soup still simmered away. It was going to be a while before it was ready, so I figured there was time to share what was on my mind. Something I never ever did.

"When I was six, I almost drowned," I said. Raps squeezed my hand a little, so I continued, the words just pouring forth. About how I was at the beach with my father, his warnings not to get too close to the water, my interest in catching a crab, how I nearly got swept away in the tide, how angry my father was after he pulled me to safety – and how I felt scared to get in the water since.

"I can't swim, Rapunzel." The words fell heavy from my mouth. Here I was hoping to be a guard in Corona, and I couldn't swim. I would be the laughingstock if they knew. Because of my stupid fear, I nearly got us both killed. "It's my fault we nearly drowned today. I'm sorry."

"Cass, it's not your fault," Raps countered. "I fell in. It's my fault you had to jump in to save me. And I think it's brave what you did."

"How? How can I be a guard if I don't even know how to swim?" I asked as I looked up at her.

"You're clearly a capable fighter," Raps pointed out. "You seem to know the landscape, and you just faced your fear. I know you feel ashamed but you still went into that stream to save me. Maybe I would have found a way out, but with you I was safe for sure because you promised you wouldn't let anything happen to me. That you would protect me."

My heart swelled a bit as I remembered my promise to her. A small smile crossed my lips. "Thank you. That… that really means a lot." Noticing she still held my hand, I quickly pulled away and cleared my throat. "Soup should be ready soon. Why don't you get two bowls and spoons?"

Raps got up and went to retrieve the utensils. When she came back, she said, "Cass?"

"Yes?"

She opened her mouth, closed it, then suggested, "What if… tomorrow morning, we both learn how to swim? Together?"

I stared at her, incredulous. She couldn't be serious. "Are you sure you want to…"

"Cass, I get that you're still afraid, but my birthday is still a little over a day away. We have time, and I owe it to you for saving my life."

Part of me wanted to reject her offer outright. I didn't want to get back in the water for a while. But as I glanced up at her, I knew she had a point. "Okay, we can try. But I'd prefer we find a safer place to practice, and we need to figure out what to do about your hair." I held out my hand for one of the bowls.

"I may have an idea," Raps said as she gave me a bowl and sat down by my side. This time, she put a respectable distance between us. She was beginning to recognize that I needed a little personal space, and for that I was grateful.


	8. Rude Awakening

The night passed quietly. Rapunzel talked for a bit after dinner about the stars and I just lay there listening, somewhat amused by what she knew and the stories she created while living in that tower. Eventually, she became quiet and finally went to sleep. I made sure the fire was out, Fidella comfortable, and made my bed. I couldn't help but look at Rapunzel's sleeping form before rolling over and trying to get some sleep.

When the morning came, I awoke flat on my stomach, squinting a bit before shifting slightly and trying to catch a few more minutes of rest. It wasn't the most comfortable sleep I'd ever had, but to be fair, my bed in the castle wasn't the definition of 'cozy'. Nothing like the bed Raps would undoubtedly have once she returned home and became the Princess she was meant to be. I was just feeling sleepy again when the hair on the back of my neck stood up. Something had approached and was breathing hard above my head. It sounded like a horse… and I could tell it wasn't Fidella.

Rolling onto my side, I opened my eyes to find the face of Maximus glaring down at me. He was a palace horse like Fidella, a bit of a showboat but undeniably one of the best horses on the Royal Guard. There was no rider, and as I roused myself from a much-needed slumber it dawned on me why he was here.

"Can't believe my dad sent you to fetch me like I'm a lost child," I grumbled before rolling back over. Let him wait; I wasn't going anywhere with him.

Unfortunately, he disagreed.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

I screamed as Max began tugging me by the boot, unceremoniously yanking me off my makeshift bed of grass and sad attempt at a pillow. "No! Stop it! Let go of me! Max, cut it out!" I yelled as I clawed feverishly at the ground. Thankfully, the ruckus woke Rapunzel who sprang up from her cocoon of blonde hair, ran over, took my hands and began pulling. I clung for dear life as my body was stretched in a way that I did not enjoy at all.

"Let… her… go!" Raps demanded as she tried in vain to dig her bare feet into the ground, but they were slowly sliding along the slick grass.

"MAX, STOP IT!" I yelled as I jerked my leg away, and to my surprise as much as his, my foot popped out of the boot sending me flying into Raps. We tumbled onto the ground, and as I looked up, I saw Max shake his head with my boot still caught in his teeth. Now I was angry.

That's when Fidella came to my side. As Max bolted up to charge at me, Fidella leapt in front and reared back on her hind legs, whinnying as if telling him in horse-speak to stop trying to take me back to my father. Max tried unsuccessfully to get around her, but Fidella kept maneuvering between him and me. Much to my surprise, Raps jumped up and tried to get Max to calm down.

"Whoa! Whoa! Easy, boy! Easy! Eeeeaaaasy!"

Somehow, it worked. I'm not sure if Rapunzel truly had a way with animals, if Fidella simply made him back down, or if Pascal who was perched on top of Rapunzel's head actually got Max to listen to her. The last option was the most far-fetched, but to this day I swear that Max actually stilled when he registered a little lizard sitting atop the blonde girl trying to get his attention.

"Drop the boot," Raps commanded. Not a question. Max huffed in protest. "Drop it." She pointed to the ground, and I knew that it was probably as much Fidella glaring him down that made him relinquish my boot.

I stomped over and snatched it up, jammed it back on my foot and then stood up to give him a piece of my mind. "Damn it, Max! I have more important things to do today than sew garments or wash another load of laundry!" I was level with his eyes and mere inches from his snout. I didn't care if my father was worried about where I had run off yesterday; he could be so overprotective, and it had really started to get on my nerves. If he wanted me to be just another good girl and play the part of a lady-in-waiting, then he needed to wake up and realize that I could do better. I wanted to be more. And sending a palace horse just to drag me back was not doing anything to gain my trust or respect.

"Wait, you know this horse?" Raps asked.

"Yeah, this is Maximus, another palace horse," I replied without looking back, too busy staring him down so I wouldn't be caught off guard again. What a stupid mistake to think he would leave me alone when I knew why he'd come after me.

"Aww," Raps cooed as she approached and began to stroke Max, "aren't you just a big old fierce horse."

"Uh, what?" I watched in disbelief as Rapunzel began cozying up to the horse that had moments ago tried to take me away from her.

"Cass, don't be so hard on him. He's just doing his job," Raps said as she nuzzled against Max, who whinnied happily at the attention and, in my opinion, undeserved praise.

"Yeah, some job, Maximus," I retorted sarcastically. "Shouldn't you be chasing some thieves or ruffians right now, O Mighty Fearsome Steed?"

Max huffed in annoyance.

"Okay, I know we all got off to a bad start this morning," Raps interjected trying to play a mediator, "but it really is important that Cassandra be allowed to… er, not do whatever duties she is obligated for now."

Max made a noise that sounded like he was incredulous.

"Just for two days!" Raps continued, sunny smile back on her face. "I'm sure her father can understand that she just needs a little time to do some… uh… what's the word for helping someone in need?"

"Civic duty." It wasn't exactly what Rapunzel was looking for, but I knew Max would relent and that would hopefully get him off my back for another forty-eight hours. "Look, I'm helping this young woman to see the festival tomorrow. Once I'm done, then I will return to the castle and accept whatever punishment my father or the king wishes to bestow upon me for my transgressions. Got it?"

That was not a request; it was a statement. I was going to help Rapunzel see the lanterns, and if I played my cards right I would also show her who she truly was, and when I returned to the castle I would be doing so with my head held high as I did what all others had failed to do for many years now.

Max stared at me, and I stared back.

"And it's my birthday tomorrow," Raps muttered out the side of her mouth, as if that would sway his opinion.

Perhaps it did. Or perhaps it was the way Fidella once more asserted herself by taking a step forward and doing some sort of horse-speak that seemed to make Max stand down. Either way, he hung his head in defeat, turned around and made his way back to Corona.

I exhaled in relief. "Thanks, girl," I said as I rubbed Fidella's neck in gratitude. She whinnied contentedly. I was glad to have her on my side. As few friends as I had – well, assuming you could count animal companions as friends – I could use all the support I could get.

"Woo! That was… something," Raps exclaimed as she ran her hands through her hair. There were a few leaves and twigs in it, and we still had not reached a decision as to how to make it more manageable. I wasn't exactly an expert on braiding techniques, so we would have to wait until we got to town to solve that problem.

"Yep, heck of a way to start the day," I concurred as I made to pack up camp. "So, what do you want to do first?"

"Well, why not try that swimming lesson?"

I stiffened a little. In my efforts to fend off Maximus, I had completely forgotten about what we had agreed to last night. Rapunzel noticed, but I forced myself to relax with a deep breath.

"Sure. We should go find a suitable location. Preferably somewhere secluded so we will not be seen. I don't need another unwelcome intrusion to deal with today."


End file.
